Description
You may submit up to two extra credit essays – a movie review and/or an additional concert report. A maximum of 50 points (5% of your semester total) will be added to your overall course grade for each of the 2 extra credit assignments. You cannot submit two movie reviews or two additional concert reports. If you quote or paraphrase an author, website, or other sources, you must cite your references using parenthetical citations (author last name, page number) or footnotes.
When you are ready to submit your assignment(s), click on the blue “Submit Assignment” button above, then copy & paste your work into the Text Entry box (you cannot upload a file). Be sure to click the “Submit Assignment” button before leaving the page. If you submit both extra credit essays, please submit them at the same time in a single submission.
OPTION 1: ADDITIONAL CONCERT REPORT
The Extra Credit Concert Report should adhere to all of the required concert report guidelines EXCEPT: there’s only a 750 word minimum, and you only need to discuss four of the pieces/songs performed.
OPTION 2: MOVIE REVIEW
View one of the movies listed below, or any other fictionalized film about the life of a jazz musician (not a live concert, documentary, or satire). Write a 750 word minimum essay contextualizing the movie within the matrix of concepts, personalities, and music examined in this course. In general, think of this essay as a “critical analysis” in which you need to explain any personal opinions that you assert. Please address the following points:
• Give a brief (1 paragraph) biographical sketch of the principal character/musician.
Socially and musically, how is the principal character portrayed?
What historical phase of the development of jazz does the principal character belong to?
• How does the life and music of the principal character reflect the issues we’ve examined in relation to that historical phase?
Describe the narrative of the film. How does the story unfold? – This is the core of you movie review.
POSSIBLE MOVIES:
Young Man with a Horn (about Bix Beiderbeck) 1949
The Glen Miller Story (1953)
The Benny Goodman Story (1955)
The Five Pennies (about Red Nichols) 1959
Lady Sings the Blues (about Billie Holliday) 1972
Round Midnight (about Dexter Gordon) 1986
Bird (about Charlie Parker) 1988
The Mambo Kings (about the Castillo brothers) 1992
Sweet and Lowdown (about Emmet Ray) 1999
For Love or Country (about Arturo Sandoval) 2001
Ray (about Ray Charles) 2004
De-lovely (about Cole Porter) 2004
El Cantate (about Hector Lavoe) 2007
Bolden! (about Buddy Bolden) 2015
Miles Ahead (about Miles Davis) 2015
Born to be Blue (about Chet Baker) 2016
The United States vs. Billie Holiday 2021
